


Affairs of the Heart

by Louissa



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, M/M, Mentions of Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Swearing, no cape au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 22:53:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16585814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louissa/pseuds/Louissa
Summary: For years now the kingdoms have lived in perfect harmony, thanks to King Bruce the four lands had not known bloodshed in the past 100 years. Having never of found a wife King Bruce adopted a child, he was a peasant child who belonged to the kingdoms circus, his name was Richard Grayson and Bruce Wayne adored him. On the eve of his first adopted sons 21st birthday Jack Drake, a wealthy merchant who was a close friend of the king passed away at sea. His wife, Janet Drake was also on the ship, which had found trouble in rough seas. Their deaths left their only son Timothy Drake orphaned and in the care of the King himself. Having been close to the Drake family Bruce took no issue adopting the young boy, and so Timothy Drake became the second in line to the throne.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to melody-haruka for beta reading.

For years now the kingdoms have lived in perfect harmony, thanks to King Bruce the four lands had not known bloodshed in the past 100 years. Having never of found a wife King Bruce adopted a child, he was a peasant child who belonged to the kingdoms circus, his name was Richard Grayson and Bruce Wayne adored him. On the eve of his first adopted sons 21st birthday Jack Drake, a wealthy merchant who was a close friend of the king passed away at sea. His wife, Janet Drake was also on the ship, which had found trouble in rough seas. Their deaths left their only son Timothy Drake orphaned and in the care of the King himself. Having been close to the Drake family Bruce took no issue adopting the young boy, and so Timothy Drake became the second in line to the throne.

Timothy had just turned 15 when his parents died, he knew that travelling on the sea could be deadly but he had never expected his own family to fall victim to Poseidon’s fury himself. He distinctly remembers Alfred Pennyworth, the King’s right hand and closest ally knocking on his door to break the news. They spoke over tea, Alfred had even bought his famous cucumber sandwiches knowing that Timothy would most likely need something to eat after the shock. When Timothy cried Alfred was there to sooth him, he had tried to thank him for what he had done only to be offered a gentle hug, something Timothy didn’t get a lot of. With the announcement of his parents death came the announcement of his adoption, for a moment Timothy didn’t believe the words that Alfred had spoken but the moment a letter was thrust into his hands with the royal crest on it he knew what he future held.

Prince Timothy was close with his older brother Richard, they had met a number of times at parties and social events that his parents allowed him to attend. Each time they met, Richard would always treat him to something deliciously sweet that Alfred had made for them, only he knew the extent of the Drake’s negligence towards their only son. He’d realised just how bad it had been when he discovered that Timothy had never had chocolate before, when questioned he would explain that his chamber maid would not allow for him to eat something so sweet as it could make him ill. What he hadn’t noticed was that she was stealing the sweets for herself. From that moment onwards, Richard made it his job to sneak the young boy treats before the night ended.

Richard had always been fond of young Timothy, even though he was quiet and sometimes shied away from attention he couldn’t help but adore him. So when Bruce announced that he would be adopting Timothy he couldn’t of been happier, not to mention he would now have someone to keep him company while Bruce was off doing important things. After the funeral, Richard made sure to stay by his side, to ensure that Timothy had a shoulder to cry on if needed. It did not surprise him when Timothy didn’t cry, he was sure that the young boy had cried enough already. So he did what he did best and made sure to keep his new younger brother entertained, anything to see him smile again.


	2. Chapter 2

Timothy had overslept as he always did, no matter how many times Alfred had lectured him about the importance of waking on time he simply didn’t. He curled up under the covers as the curtains were drawn allowing the early morning light to drift into his room, groaning softly he lifted his head and sent a glare at Alfred who simply told him that breakfast would be soon. He took his time getting up, with the weighted blanket still wrapped around his shoulders he stumbled into the bathroom and washed his face. Yawning he started his usual morning routine, Timothy was still attempting to tame his tangled bed hair when Richard entered without knocking.

“Morning little Tim.”

As Richard snatched the brush from his hand, he sent his older brother a cold look and allowed him to brush out his hair, mornings usually started like this. Richard always had too much energy in the early morning, Tim could barely keep up with him but it did help him make it to breakfast on time.

“What have I told you about not knocking, Richard?”

“What have I told you about calling me Richard, little brother?”

“Touché”

His adoptive brother had always preferred to be called Dick by close family and friends, in the mornings especially Timothy would call him ‘Richard’ just to mess with him, it was a part of their routine. Timothy didn’t mind what they called him, mainly family called him Tim or even Timbo on occasion, while palace staff and the towns people called him Timothy. Either way he did not mind. When Dick finally finished with his hair, they returned to his chambers where new clothes had been set out, a pair of black pants lay on the bed beside a white shirt, both of which were something that he would not wear. On a normal day, he would wear something formal, his usual duties included speaking to any visitors or attending the occasional meeting with Bruce, which meant wearing his finest clothes. Sensing his unease Dick held the shirt up to Tim’s chest making sure that it was the correct size before speaking.

“Seeing that you’ve grown, and you’re less clumsy Bruce thought that it would be best for you to learn how to ride a horse.”

“You can’t be serious? Me on a horse?”

“Yup, lessons start after lunch.”

Timothy nodded and gently pushed Dick out of his room and closed the door behind him, slowly he stripped out of his sleep clothes and dressed in his new clothes. Assessing himself in the mirror Tim nodded to himself and tugged gently on the light fabric of his shirt, the pants he wore fit perfectly and didn’t pinch or sit as awkwardly as he thought that they would. A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts and he opened the door to see Alfred standing before him.

“Prince Timothy, where would you like to have breakfast this morning?”

“Is the library free? I’d like to study before I get thrown off of a horse this afternoon.”

“Of course, I’ll take your breakfast there.”

-

Eating breakfast in the library was perhaps one of his favourite past times, aside for adventuring the castle when he was supposed to be sleeping. To him the library was a place of comfort, it was one of the only places that Dick wouldn’t disturb him in mainly because reading wasn’t his thing. Tim idly chewed on a piece of fresh bread while slipping between the tall bookshelves in search for a new book to read, he was sure that he’d read almost every book at least once but now and then a new book would be hiding somewhere. Tim stopped in his tracks when he came face to face with a stranger, it wasn’t that the library was out of bounds but Tim had simply never seen another soul in there. At least not while he was reading or scaling the shelves for something else to read.

“Uh sorry I didn’t know anyone else was here.”

The boy- rather a man was at least a foot taller than himself and twice his size, yet with a few books perched in his arms he looked somewhat harmless. So Tim flashed the stranger a smile and held out his hand, he watched as the other hesitated before reaching out.

“I’m Tim, don’t mind me I was just searching for a book. Do you have a name?”

“Uh yeah- I’m Jason.”

Releasing Jason’s hand Tim tore off a piece of his bread and offered it to him, he smiled as Jason took the piece of bread from his hand and stuffed it into his pocket. They stood there smiling at each other in a somewhat peaceful silence before there was a knock from the entrance of the library, Alfred must’ve come to collect him for his morning meeting with Bruce.

“Uh I have to go- but you can use the library whenever you’d like to! Just make sure you bring the books back okay?”

“Okay thanks, bye!”

Tim watched as Jason scurried out of the room, he poked his head out from around the corner and watched as he and Alfred spoke for a moment before Jason went running down the hall books in hand. Stepping out from behind his hiding spot Tim grabbed the rest of his breakfast and followed behind Alfred, part of him always dreaded morning meetings with his adoptive father. There was always the possibility that he’d walk out of that room engaged to some random princess or prince that he didn’t know a single thing about, he remembered Dick’s reaction to being engaged to Princess Barbara, it didn’t end well for Bruce and yet he still went along with it anyway. Deep down Timothy knew how important it would be for him to marry into another Royal family, he knew that if he was asked he would have no choice but to accept. That didn’t mean that he wanted to accept, since he was young he had dreamed of marrying someone he’d fallen in love with, not someone he’d only met once.

-

Jason’s p.o.v

He was lost in his thoughts when he felt a large hand clamp down on his shoulder, jumping slightly Jason turned around to see his mentor beaming down at him. Jason hadn’t ever seen himself working in the stables, let alone the royal stables of all places yet here he was cleaning and washing his and the Prince’s horse.

“How’re feeling lad?”

“Good, how’s the family Matthew?”

“Ah my little one has her first day of school today, thanks to King Bruce she’ll be able to read and write well before I was able to.”

Jason nodded and turned back to the prince’s horse scratching the black stallion’s nose, closing his eyes he went back to the night that he was struck by a spooked horse. Three years ago, he had died after being knocked out by a horse he was looking after, it was a witch doctor that had bought him back to life leaving him with a white streak in his fringe. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t hide it.

“Prince Richard is coming, can you go and met him for me?”

“Uh yeah- sure.”

Giving the horse one last pat he turned and moved to the front of the stables, from the bottom of the hill he could see Prince Richard walking towards him followed by his guard Wallis- or Wally or something. Sighing he straightened his back and bowed deeply as the prince approached him, he stood back to his full height and sent Prince Richard a welcoming smile.

“So you’re the boy teaching Prince Timothy how to ride?”

Being somewhat new to the royal scene Jason was not familiar with all of the royals that resided in the castle, he knew Prince Richard and that was it. So when Matthew had told him he was teaching the prince to ride he assumed he was teaching Prince Richard not someone else, before he could stop himself Jason was already speaking.

“Who the fuck-“

“Jason language!”

“Whomst the fuck.”

Matthew was about to apologise for Jason’s behaviour when Prince Richard burst out laughing, Jason was shocked to see even his guard laughing and patting the prince’s shoulder as he attempted to catch his breath.

“Oh you’ll be perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is appreciated


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